


Hot Shot Drabbles

by Camlann



Category: Fantastic Four (Movieverse), Marvel (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Thor (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-04
Updated: 2015-02-01
Packaged: 2018-01-21 23:33:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 13,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1567988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camlann/pseuds/Camlann
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Drabbles on the relationship (or sometimes lack there of) between Darcy Lewis and Johnny Storm.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Rodeo

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I’m the only John Wayne left in this town

Darcy is, above all else, a bit odd.

Not in a bad way. There wasn’t a bad way to be odd, honestly. Not in her book. But she is all the same and knows it, or at least knows that people think it. She thinks, considering her family and her background and knowledge of the universe? Yeah. She’s perfectly normal for all that’s gone on in her life. Maybe oddly so. And maybe that’s why she’s odd, if only to herself.

It also might explain why she’s tromping around in the middle of a stock show trying to figure out where her friend had gone.

"Come see the show, she said. Come help me not be bored while my husband shows, she said. Dang nambit, Tiffany, when I get my hands on you," Darcy mutters to herself, weaving her way through the stalls of feed vendors, food vendors, and the occasional large pack animal. "I’m never coming to a rodeo again. So help me."

But as minutes pass, sans friend mind anyone who will listen, Darcy finds a place where motorbikes are being sold. And where a rather thick crowd of people have gathered.

Honestly. What was it about dirt bikes? The tricks were awesome, she’d totally admit that. But broken faces? Not so awesome.

Then again, the man that goes zipping past her (and did he leave a smoke trail?) might be the worst case. Because even with just a glance, Darcy can tell how pretty he is. And also how wired. There were women all over his trail and Darcy blinks, watching them curiously.

Who was this guy?

"Johnny. Johnny Storm."

"Ah. Hello. Excuse me. I need to get to that aisle over there."

"I don’t even get a name?"

And he’s slick, she’ll give him that. Tight jeans, cowboy boots, and a baseball hat that sits just low enough to give mystery to his eyes… she’d be hooked too. But she’s heard a few more stories about Johnny Storm than the average person, she’s sure. Darcy, for one, has been inside Avengers Tower. After he’s buzzed the place with a Flame On.

Oh, how the stories had poured out then. She hadn’t even wanted to leave to see Doctor Banner, even though he and Jane were having some very serious discussions behind Stark’s rantings on fly boys.

Funny that he flew too. He hadn’t found it funny when she’d pointed it out.

"Dee. You can call me Dee."

"That’s not a name, sweetheart."

"It’s the only one you’re getting, hot shot."

And there’s a gasp from a girl behind her, leaving Darcy to roll her eyes and push past them all. It’s easier said then done, however, and when she parts them for air and freedom, it’s with footsteps following hers.

Oh no. No, no, no, no, no.

"Aw, come on, babe. I can’t be that bad."

"I’m a friend of Thor’s."

"Okay. I’m that bad."

But that doesn’t make him **go away**. She was so hoping and Darcy spins on her heels, pert and polite. Or as polite as she can be with her palms on her hips and staring down a superstar with his fan base behind him.

"Listen, bucko. You have the pick of the crop. A very blonde, very thin, Oh Say Can You See crop. So why don’t you just go choose one of them and I’ll go find my friend and you can keep that hat of yours on someone else’s head."

But instead of doing anything of the sort, Johnny Storm takes off his hat and puts it on her head.

Oh. Oh no…

Now. Darcy wasn’t one for country music. Wasn’t one for country western bars. But she’d been to Texas and through Oklahoma. She’s had friends from there that went back to there. And she’d visited and found something out along the way.

Lady wears a man’s cowboy hat, and she doesn’t get any more advances that night. Because she’s taken.

"Um. Excuse you."

"What?"

"Don’t be coy, flame retardant."

"You look good in it. And you were squinting at me. I **thought** I was **helping**.”

"Alright, John Wayne. You want to help? Fine. Find this woman. Go. Shoo."

Darcy doesn’t even bother to describe her friend, instead taking off into the crowd with a yell of, “Hey!” from behind her. But she’s already melting into the people, good at getting through places unseen. Working with Jane? Totally helped with that. Half the time they weren’t supposed to be on the property their readings showed up in.

It’s not until she almost face plants into her old college friend that Darcy realizes that Johnny Storm has not given up. He has, in fact, followed her quietly and lost his zombie hoard.

Arms around her waist, she has to explain as she elbows him in the ribs. And while he sucks air, Darcy smiles sweetly.

"No touchy."

"Right. Right… Can I buy you a drink, at least?"

"… What kind of drink?"

"Slushy."

"I dare you to race me in drinking it."

And he’s an adrenaline junkie, she could see that from a mile away. So Darcy knows she has him caught as a brow quirks on the man in front of her. Because this was going to be fun, giving the Human Torch a brain freeze.

She does, too. Though she ends up with one, as well.

A warm hand on her forehead cures all and Darcy glances at Johnny through crinkled eyes. He was good looking… but was she ready for the challenge?

Oh Hell yeah.

"You still lost, you know."

"Bull."

"Cry baby cry."

"I’m your baby?"

"In your dreams."

"Oh, you will be in my dreams tonight."

"Bite the weenie, Riz."

"With relish."

So maybe she doesn’t have that much knowledge of the stock show. But she gets dropped off at her apartment by a cowboy look-a-like who sang Grease Lightening to her. She can’t really complain.


	2. Mambo No. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was all going so well. Until inside he wanted to die.

It’s unexpected, is all. To realize that she’s getting hit on at the bar. Because that’s not what she’s here for. It really isn’t. And a perfectly plucked eyebrow arches at the guy, her straw between red lips as she tries to determine if it’s worth the trouble of saying she’s not looking for a date and her hot stuff friend pays for all her drinks. 

Frankly, it’s easier just to let the crowd come between them and Darcy makes a motion that she can no longer hear the dude, turning and walking away. 

The only reason she knows that Johnny’s appeared at her side is that the club, already toasty, gets a heck of a lot hotter. 

"Man, there is nothing going on here tonight." 

"Says you." 

"Says me. And I happen to know when things are going down, and this isn’t where we should be." 

"It’s far too late to change clubs. Again, mind you. Jesus, just give me ten minutes. I’ll find you someone to dance with." 

"You’re the best." 

A kiss to her cheek and Johnny is gone, all leather jacket and tight pants and even Darcy has to admit, her friend’s got a great ass. 

In fact, that’s how she identifies him in a crowd at times. Only person she’s gotten him confused with is Captain America. She blamed them both being bubble butts, cause honestly. They were. 

They deserved sparkles around it. 

Still though, she’s said she’ll find Johnny a dance partner. And there’s something about the fruity drink that gives her over to her womanly wiles, swaying her hips with the beat of the music and moving towards the bachelorette party she’d seen earlier. 

"Hey there! Sorry to interrupt but… lotion? For a girl who left her purse in the car?" 

It works and she’s suddenly one of them. Only to motion Johnny with a few flicks of her fingers to come up behind her, before she starts chatting him up. And the point is that he can buy them all drinks and she moves to switch places with him, telling the girls that hey ho. Look at the pretty man. 

The great thing about parties like that was there were girls that wanted it to be a night on the town. And girls that wanted it to be the night of partying. And girls that just wanted to get the bride to the church on time. So the perfect mix for Johnny to find someone, a couple someones actually, to dance with. All in all, Darcy thought she’d done pretty well. 

Turning into a broad chest as she sneaked away was not the plan, however. And looking up, up, up reveals dark hair and a mischievous smile. Something that makes Darcy’s heart skip a beat. 

Oh. _Helloooo_ nurse. 

Her drink gets set aside and for once, she accepts the offer for one. A gleam in her eye, she knows she’s safe. The club is in a good part of town, they have good security, and this guy is dreamy. 

Way dreamy. So dreamy that when he asks if she wants to sit, she does. She really, really does. 

The bar is dark and she’s talking up close. Enough that when the other leans in, she’s completely content to feel warm breath against her lips. And then they brush and she’s completely prepared for hot kisses when the man is… gone. 

And instead there’s Johnny Storm, flagging down the bartender and leaving Darcy’s lips agape. Did he really just… Oh my God.

"Johnny!" she hisses, trying to find where dude with really great hair went. But he’s not close enough to see in the crowd of bodies and Darcy’s eye twitches. "What the Hell, man?" 

"What?" 

And wasn’t he the innocent one. Darcy calls bull, and she’d be willing to put all her chips in as she glares.

"You totally just cock blocked me." 

"He wasn’t good enough for you anyways." 

"Hell **ooo**. I totally get to decide that. Besides, he was pretty.” 

"I’m pretty." 

Darcy doesn’t know what to say to that, watching Johnny turn towards her and raise an eyebrow. Well, she couldn’t deny it but what did that have to do with _anything_? 

"Look, we should head home. I came by to say that nothing’s happening here." 

"But you were dancing!" 

"Not anymore. You coming? Or you going to try and find tall, dark, and steroids?" 

"Nice. That doesn’t seem weird at all now. Ew." 

"So you’re coming?" 

"Yeah, yeah. Need to get to the lab early tomorrow anyways." 

Darcy moves to get off the stool, only to find Johnny’s hands on her hips and then an arm around her waist as he leads her through the crowd. And while confused at the new touchy-feely stuff, Darcy squashes the heat in her chest to focus on the heat around her waist as they step into the cooler air. 

Walking back to where they left the car, Darcy watches Johnny spark. Literally. His fingers and palms light up in the night and flame dances from left to right and back again. Like a pulse and Darcy realizes a bit too late that the fingers twining with the flame around one of his palms is hers. Because she’s never really seen him Flame On. Mostly only on TV and that’s when she was paying attention. 

"What’s got you all hot and bothered?" 

"Does it have to be anything?" 

"For that face, yes. Yes it does." 

She doesn’t expect it, but as she stands in front of him next to the truck he’s driving that night (real sweet ride, got it for free to advertise), Darcy finds herself pushed against the side and kissed breathless. And not harsh and heavy, but sweet and gentle as her shoulder blades touch the side of the metal and warm hands find her hips. 

Darcy doesn’t actually know what to do when confronted with Johnny Storm kissing her. He’s her friend, and she’s one of the guys as far as she can tell. And sure he’s cute. Funny. Sweet… 

Wait. Had she fallen for him and not noticed? And why the sudden… oh wait. Dude at the bar. 

"Johnny Storm," Darcy breathes against his lips, hands having migrated from his biceps to his hair. "Are you jealous?" 

"Me? No. No way. Not possible." 

"I think you are." 

"You’re going to argue with me **now**!?” 

"… You have a point." 

Darcy melts into the other’s arms, realizing that it’s just a bit ridiculous to melt into the Human Torch. Or it was exactly what everyone did, cause hello. He really was absurdly warm. Own, personal sauna. 

His lips are just as warm and Darcy sighs against them. Okay so, no tall, dark, and dreamy. But definitely tall, hot, and perfect. 

She could get used to that. 

Even if tomorrow, they were going to have to have a very long discussion about how to tell a lady he likes her. But that, Darcy decided as she found herself boxed in even more, was for tomorrow.


	3. Sally Star McGuffin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a game. At first.

He’s a big name. A hot shot that thinks he owns the world. And Darcy has had about enough of him by the time she’s learned who she’ll be working with, without even meeting him. So when she does, and she gets a once over that makes her feel like her coat and leggings and boots aren’t there at all, she gives him a one off, think that’ll be that. 

"Sally. Sally Star McGuffin." 

And it makes Jane snort and Johnny suspicious, but who is she to care about that? It’s not like this is going to be more than a one time thing and Jane works with Reed and then they go. 

Only, he keeps popping up in her life. Bright blue eyes and a charming smile. And the problem is that he remembers her. 

But not as Sally. 

"What was your name again?" 

"Tinsel. Tinsel Indigo Jameson." 

And he’s stopped to stare before she’s off on a winding path that is and isn’t where she’s supposed to be going. It’s the long way around, she’ll get back to her car eventually, but she really could have just walked past him instead of turning around and fleeing around a corner so that he doesn’t hear her bout of giggles. 

The problem continues, that this time he remembers. Because he calls her Tinsel and Darcy’s jaw drops.

Honestly. Boy needs help. 

"Sorry. Wrong girl. Name’s Yanni. Parents were WAY into his music. Like way. Sorry but, I don’t play any instruments." 

Johnny is out of his league and Darcy Lewis’ grin widens every time he sees her. Because she’s now saving them up, up, up so that she has a list of names she could give and make herself laugh in the boring draws of time that distinguish her scientist babysitting duties from her actual free time where she gets let off her leash and can disappear into the crowd. 

The next time, it’s Plural and that one gets her a look, to which she just smiles sweetly. And the time after that, it’s Martin. The next, it’s KitKat and then she disappears. 

"Where’s that girl?" 

"Who?" 

"The one that follows you around every time you come through here with science." 

"Oh. I. I don’t know." 

And that’s when Johnny realizes that Jane has lost Miss… whatever her name is. And Jane doesn’t realize he doesn’t know her name fully, because she chatters at him about Darcy for a bit, her name never said because she’s her friend and intern and now she’s not there so is there coffee in this place? 

Which means the next time he sees her, it has to be a bit different, doesn’t it?

Darcy is running, towards him instead of away. Suited up and with trousers on instead of jeans, a tight jacket that has the SHIELD emblem on the shoulder, and she’s got a taser trained on him before she realizes who he is. 

"Move," she yells, taking his hand and darting through the streets. Away from the Triskelion. Away, away, away. "Jesus, Johnny." 

"What the HELL is going on!?" 

"Captain America. Captain America brought it all down. For good reason. But. Where. Where do I go now?" 

And Johnny is confused, it plain on his face as three helicarriers rise into the sky. Darcy shudders before straightening, offering her hand. 

"Agent Darcy Lewis." 

"… Darcy. Right." 

"You’ve got no right to believe me, I know. But here." 

She throws him her badge and then holsters her taser, back to the wall and peeking out around the corner of the building. Fuck. That wasn’t good. Those things shouldn’t have gone up. She’d heard the Captain over the speakers… 

They were at war, weren’t they? With themselves. And Darcy turns back around when Johnny offers the badge, slowly slipping down the wall to put her palms to her forehead. Johnny crouches before her and Darcy wants to tell him to call her something funny, something sweet. 

To make it better, because he’s a superhero and he can do that kind of thing. That’s why she’d joined SHIELD in the first place. Because they had the heroes. 

Only… they didn’t. Not really. Not in the end. They were the ones that created the monsters and Darcy almost cries. 

"It wasn’t supposed to be like this. We were doing good." 

"What happened?" 

"I need to go home. I need to get someplace safe." 

Only, nowhere was safe anymore and she scrambled to crouch. She had to run. Hide. Hiding was the only option. She didn’t know how to contact Thor and Jane never answered her cell unless it was someone important and Darcy was never that important during the day, when work was happening. 

So now what? 

"Those things… They’re bad, right?" 

"A little more than that." 

"… What do we do?" 

"I hide. You’re safe so long as the Captain does what he does." 

"You ran." 

"I ran." 

"Why didn’t you help?" 

"I’m a level three agent with no clearance and who files paperwork. The best I could do was give someone a paper cut. Or break their fist with my face. So I got out of the way, I got a floor out with me of people that didn’t need to be there." 

Some could have been HYDRA. How the Hell was she supposed to know. She’d only tased one person trying to leave and they’d gone down like a split bag of flour. 

"You need to hide?" 

"Yeah." 

"Give me your hand." 

"What?" 

"Come with me. I’ll take you to the Baxter building. Your friend. She’s there." 

It was the best option she had at the moment and Darcy reached up, taking Johnny’s hand. When he pulls her up though, he pauses and looks at her. 

"Darcy, huh?" 

"Yeah. Darcy Ann Lewis. Nice to meet ya." 

"Nice to meet you too. Name’s Bond. James Bond." 

It gets a watery laugh and Darcy throws her arms around his neck. They get to see the ships go down from the air, level with them, and Darcy’s breath leaves her. She goes quiet until they touch down in Manhattan and she finds open arms waiting for her, Jane petting over her hair and scolding her a bit. 

It’s the best she’s got and she looks over her shoulder at Johnny, who stays right there. A warm spot against her back and those Tiffany blue eyes that go on forever. 

She’s glad he’s there, a hero where she thought she’d known some. But a real one is so much BETTER and she curls her fingers into his, even after that fact. 

"Johnny." 

"Nope. It’s Mackie." 

"Johnny…" 

"Rambo." 

"Okay. I know that’s not right." 

"Neo?" 

"Just. Call me Tinsel." 

"Done."


	4. Collide

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They were moons orbiting. They probably, most likely, could have met on their own. Instead, Darcy runs smack dab into him. And doesn’t look back.

The first time she meets him, she literally runs into him. But he has soft, squishy people to fall on and her device is still beeping, so Darcy doesn’t give two seconds to think about anything but getting herself up. And there’s a nice young woman that helps her and really, they should be **thanking** her for throwing this good looking man into their arms.

He seems to be making the most of it at least, and Darcy runs off right when he turns to talk to her. Not now. **Science**. And the young woman is skittering off to find the petite brunette that she’d been following.

The second time they meet is similar. Only her device is a little more sensitive and when he’s around it, and it goes off, skewing the readings.

Which she’s pissed about.

She’s going to read him the riot act but Jane is **getting away** , and she needs to catch up. What a day to wear her new, wedge heels. So she forgets to yell at him for obviously standing in the way of universal truth and dashes off.

He doesn’t exactly see her that second time. But she hears one of his people (body guards? Cause honey, that body needs to be under lock and key cause it’s made of godly qualities, mhm) say that she looked oddly familiar. And that’s really when Darcy realizes that it’s the same guy from last time and really, he needs to stop just standing around the streets of New York because she has places to be and aliens to miss.

They always miss them. And she thinks every time they come back with a tale of a coat fluttering around the corner ahead of them, Thor just gets more amused.

She gets a call once. From someone claiming to know him. And Darcy thinks it’s a prank.

"Hey. Ho there, good buddy," she says into the phone caught between her ear and shoulder as she pours a stupid amount of coffee into an equally stupid big mug. Scientists and their caffeine addictions. She could relate. "I haven’t been doing it on purpose. I don’t even know who the Hell this guy is? Maybe you should talk to him about that loitering thing he seems to do. You know, cause, that’s against the law."

She hangs up soon there after, not paying any mind to the conversation. She has hot pop tarts in her palm and ow, ow, OW. Gooey centers of burning lava DOOM, okay.

But that’s how she realizes that she’s been bumping into Johnny Storm, the Human Torch in the flesh.

Well… in the flame. And Darcy snorts at her own thoughts.

It would, however, explain the serious brick wall quality when she hits him. Dude is ripped from some of the E! shows she’s seen. Not that she watches them a lot but normally when she’s making dinner, the TV is on in the background. And celebrity news TV is better than reality TV and she may have a soft spot of TMZ.

It’s not until the next time she sees him that she realizes that he has the bluest eyes EVER. And Jane tells her to shut UP from the corner of her lips as they move forward.

Yes, yes. Don’t embarrass the scientist in front of the other scientists. Got it. So long as Selvig kept his pants on, it was good, in her opinion.

"I feel like I know you."

"Nope. Nada. Afraid not."

"You sure?"

"Think you’d remember someone like me, dude. Trust me."

And she smiles sweetly, winking before she hears something from her bag. Jane is by her side immediately and she has a friend, a cute blonde that Darcy smiles at as she pulls out her… dohickey. She really needed a better name for it. Jesus.

"That’s on Broadway. That’s only a few blocks from here."

"Reed will meet us there. Johnny, tell him where we’ve gone."

"But."

They’re already running off and Darcy hoots as she follows, patting Johnny’s cheek and kissing the other. She leaves a bright tattoo of red lipstick there and a man who may not be used to someone so bold without being flirty.

The last thing Darcy hears as she grabs her jacket and tosses her device to Jane is enough to make her want to run into Johnny Storm again someday.

"Who the Hell was that?! And can I could get her number."


	5. Double L.A.M.A

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Johnny doesn't know what to think of this woman working with his sister. All he knows is that she's up at the same times he is, and maybe that's not so bad after all. 
> 
> (Prompt: "Walk the llama llama" by Rascal Flatts)

She’s… dancing. Silently. And Johnny has seen many things in Sue’s lab but dancing is not one of them. Not her with Reed, not him and anyone, and it’s a bit out of place. It’s a bit bizarre.

He’s not quite sure what to do about it at 3 AM when he’s supposed to be sneaking into his room.

Sliding by like Tom Cruise in Risky Business, she’s oblivious to her audience. Johnny has to say that it’s a good thing, those little white ear buds blocking out everything. It’s obvious that she’s trying to be quiet, avoiding work stations and equipment and papers with an ease that comes with working around them. For too long, in his opinion, but who really listens to him in a lab?

Not many. Not really any.

Maybe her…

He’s entranced, really. The way her hips swing, the way that her hair moves as her head turns from side to side. And he wonders what she’s listening to, trying to catch a glance at her face and not her back. Though, frankly, it’s a good view to have when she’s dancing with the line of her back in that sweater and her jeans just flaring out right.

Not like he hasn’t looked before. Strange, this woman and her scientist, but they both attract the eye. That doctor opens her lips though and something foreign pours out. Well, not really foreign, but it’s a different language to him or might as well be when Sue and Reed get involved.

There’s a line between not dumb and not a genius. And he’s on one side and those three are on the other.

As for Darcy? He’s fairly sure she straddles the line.

And he doesn’t need to be thinking of her straddling anything, but it’s now too late for that. His shoes are already off, one because he’s home and two because it’s easier to pass by Reed if he’s up late and needs “help” with something if he’s quiet on his toes. But the point is that his shoes are off so moving into the lab quietly isn’t such a hardship.

That’s when he sees Sue asleep on the sofa and Jane asleep over her papers and something clicks. Darcy is the last one standing, and it seems she’s done it through movement.

Of course, now without the glass between them, he can hear the soft whisper of lyrics from full lips.

"All of us applaud his generosity  
He’s more than just a passing curiosity  
He covers up our pride  
And all those things we have to hide  
In any civilized society.”

There’s a beat that is supposed to be filled with music and the young man has to wonder in that split second what on God’s green Earth Darcy is listening to. Because Johnny thinks of himself as fairly hip. And pop music isn’t all that far from him, considering the amount of clubs he goes to sometimes.

But he hasn’t heard that one and when Darcy’s whisper floats to him again, he barks a soft laugh because that wasn’t what he was expecting.

“Walk the llama llama.”

It’s enough of a cue to have Darcy whirl, hand on her hip for some reason and Johnny should ask why she looks like she’s reaching for a gun. She didn’t have a gun, right? Lord help him if she did, he was going to get shot in the foot.

"Llama llama?" he mouths at her, brow arching. And she sticks her tongue out, but he’s pretty quick. He almost catches it and she shoves him away, biting into those full lips to keep herself quiet.

A hand in his and he’s dragging her out of the lab, closing the door softly behind him to keep his sister and her work partner sleeping.

If he was an old man, he’d slap his knee from laughing right now.

"Oh shut up."

"What the **Hell** are you listening to?!”

"None of your bee’s knees, good Sir."

"Oh Lord. I was not thinking of llamas when watching you."

"So other barn yard animals came to mind?"

"Wait. What? No!"

"Ah. See. Denial isn’t just a river in Egypt, my friend."

"Okay. Somewhere, I lost the plot."

"Did you have it in the first place?"

"You’re the one singing about llamas."

"It’s my niece’s playlist. She’s four. Bite the big one."

"With relish."

That he snaps his teeth at her just makes her roll her eyes, but he thinks… he thinks he’s got her on a roll. It’s late, she’s tired from the way she sways, and maybe just maybe this time he’s got some leverage to get her to talk to him. Sarcastic remarks aside, she’s been more focused on her friend and his sister than anything else.

And Johnny kind of wants to talk to the woman that’s been able to blow him off and put him in his place for longer than a second. At least, the woman that he isn’t’ related to.

"I’ve seen you in a leather jacket. Not as cool as Danny."

"You’re not Sandy."

"Never wanted to be. Did you see her hair at the end? Yikes. Mine would totally poof out. No thank you."

"I think it looks good like it is now."

"What? Straight and messy? Yeah, thanks. Pretty sure this is not number one on my glamour scale."

"Doesn’t have to be glamours to be hot."

"I’m actually fairly cold. It’s why I stood up in the first place."

"That’s not what I meant."

"I know."

He’s moved closer, just standing far enough away to not break the personal bubble but close enough to touch. And he wants to, for reasons that even he can’t fathom. This woman is an enigma. He can’t figure her out. She’s hot and cold and left and right and he’s upside down over it, which is none of those things.

Maybe if he just leaned in a bit. And she doesn’t seem to mind, blue-green eyes sparkling merrily as if she’s laughing at him even now. But Johnny doesn’t really mind as he seals her lips with his, grinning against them.

Hey, she’s smiling too. And kisses him back. So really, it’s a win-win situation.

"You’re warm."

"Hot."

"Cold."

"Ice cream?"

"…. Chocolate?"

"Only if you agree to cuddling on the couch for warmth."

"Since when do you cuddle?"

"Since forever. You don’t know me."

"Not well. But I think I’m going to like learning."

That she’s the one to initiate the next kiss by grabbing him by his jacket lapels and crashing her lips to his, who was he to argue, really?

"Llama llama."

"Oh just. Shut up and go get the ice cream, Kronk."

"The chocolate ice cream. The ice cream for us. The ice cream specifically there for us to eat. Our ice cream."

"Oh my God, it’s too early for this."

"You love it."

"Just. Don’t melt the damn stuff. I don’t want a shake."

"Shame, yours brought all the boys to the yard."

"Damn right, it’s way better than yours."

"Hey!"


	6. Futile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He thought he could catch her eye with razzle dazzle. It seems nothing is going to catch her eye that's bold, though. Or more, it does catch her eye but... not in the way he wants. 
> 
> He's going to have to try something different.

It’s not that his plans are horrible. In fact, 9 times out of 10, they get results. But he’s finding that she bunks all tradition and he can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not. No really, he can’t. Because it’s exciting to find a woman that is hot as he is and has a wit that won’t stop.

But it’s also exasperating. Because if she doesn’t fall into his rules, how is he supposed to know how to react?

He doesn’t, is the problem. He really, really doesn’t know how to.

It starts like it always does. Elevator, heat rises, and how is he supposed to know these are the women that Sue has invited over to look at her program for analysis on something or another? He’d stopped listening when Reed started asking questions in Latin. Or what he assumed was in Latin. It was all gibberish to him some days and that day had been one of those.

They’re both pretty small and they’re both gorgeous. But the one he’s got his eyes on is a bit curvier and her jacket is zipped up to her collarbone. Pale skin, lips that pop with a red-orange, and Johnny thinks he’s fallen a little in love with the fashion of this girl before she even opens her lips. And then she does that very thing, voice smooth and excited as she talks to this Jane. Her hair bounces a bit when she moves her head, caught under a knit hat and surely she has to be getting warm enough to unzip her jacket. It’s not summer but it’s not icy out, and Johnny has had this work so many times, he forgets that it might not.

It turns out to not be a sure thing.

Because this Darcy doesn’t unzip her jacket. She isn’t even fazed by the rising heat in the small space. She just keeps talking and pulls out a gadget from her pocket that she passes off to Jane. And then the elevator opens and there’s his sister and the heat wave that comes from the box makes her eye him.

Johnny has enough sense to slink away after that one. Because his big sister is not one to mess with, even if she’ll love him forever and he knows it.

But he ends up thinking of her all day. Quite the feat when he’s been spending the day with ladies who literally are supposed to drape over him and a bike and man, is he going to sell these models for Harley or what? But he can’t help but think about a long look as she stepped into the elevator earlier that day, as if she knew him from somewhere and then a light bulb had clicked. The appreciation as Darcy’s gaze had swept over him and then the small quirk of her lips as she turned her back.

Wait, wait, wait. That could mean… She knew.

Knew why the heat was rising. Knew why the elevator was a perfect hot box. Knew why he was in there going up and down and up and down. Ah man, she’d figured him out. No wonder she didn’t unzip that jacket of hers. Poor woman must have been dying too.

Or really was that oblivious to heat. He’d have to try again.

But every time there’s an opportunity, she gets a call or his sister is with her and Jane or something else comes up right at that moment. So. He has to come up with a new plan. No more elevator heat for her. Obviously, she requires the next level of Storm thinking.

Which is how he comes up with talking to her. Simple, right? But between the note taking, the diagramming, and the coffee getting, Darcy Lewis has no time for Johnny Storm.

Or he should say, very little time.

They do sometimes end up on the sofa at the very edge of morning after a long time, Darcy curled up and falling asleep, mumbling at him. And Johnny can feel something protective kick in when that happens, something he only really feels for Sue and definitely in a different way than this. She wakes up with his comforter over her and pancakes because she whined softly of being cold, toes jamming under his thigh and Johnny thinks he’s gotten some headway.

Only, it stops there and she’s friendly. So very friendly. But she acts the same with Ben and Reed and she swears he hears her screech on the street below one day when the Avengers stop by because his brother in law has something for them. (He’s right, by the way. It was her that made that racket because she comes in on Thor’s shoulders and stays under his cape and with his arm over her shoulders. Johnny has never felt jealousy before in such great waves but Ben informs him that’s what happened to make him want to flame on and beat this Thor guy to a pulp after the fact) So he starts to think of a different tactic.

And if he’s feeling jealous after such little time spent with her, maybe he can win her over by showing her what she’s missing. He’ll cut the parties down, he can tell that she likes being in the lab and learning cool things and playing with the gadgets about. And he’ll cut down the masses of girls on his arms. But he wants to show her that he’s open to things.

If she gets a twist in her mind that someone is taking something she could have, maybe that would… help the situation he’s in, himself. Right?

Something in his gut says no but he wants to give all plans a shot.

So he brings up a date one night when he knows Darcy and Jane are in the labs. And the woman on his arm is sweet, charming, looks hella rad. She knows a thing or two about science and he introduces her to people as they go by, because he’s conveniently forgotten something in his room and it won’t be but a moment if she wants to stay with the girls for a second and he’ll be right back.

What he did not expect was Darcy being the social butterfly he knows her to be. His mistake. But what really surprises him is that she is crooning over his date’s shoes, talking to her about how those would look amazing squishing little political heads at his date’s work because she’s a model and, “Damn girl, your legs look fine. How do you do that?”

And his date… flowers under the attention. Because Darcy engages her as an equal, gets excited with her about things she’s excited about, and then makes a noise he’s fairly sure only dogs and kids can hear when his date tells her something in a whisper.

Oh boy. Yeah… that didn’t work at all. But the date goes well and Darcy somehow has gotten the woman’s phone number.

Johnny has a brief moment where he wonders if he’s exactly what Darcy would be looking for. But then she does something small, like ruffles his hair and then gently fixes it while giving him a hard time about the gel that’s now on her fingers. Or pinches his cheek when they’re leaving on a ‘science adventure’ and then kisses the pinch to soothe it. It gives Johnny hope and he pads after her when she comes back, asking about the research and the location and why she’s limping, God damn it, be more careful with her Sue.

Showing off any money he has doesn’t work, because she actually looked concerned when he mentioned a watch that cost as much as her monthly rent. He ends that pretty quickly, realizing that’s not what she’s looking for.

No Sugar Daddies, then. Well then. Next…

Good with kids only makes her coo before she’s off doing something with science. But it’s the lingering glance at the kids he’s hijacked from the educational tour of the Baxter building that brings Johnny up short.

Kids? Really?

No. Wait.

“Ben.”

“Hmm?”

That he doesn’t respond with a crack about the other man responding like a rock Pokemon is what brings his teammate’s gaze up from his newspaper. And his gaze isn’t even on Ben, it’s on Darcy behind the glass of the catwalk out over Reed’s lab.

“What does a girl liking a guy who likes kids mean?”

“Could means lots of things. Depends on the person. Could mean she’s forward thinking, wants them of her own. Could mean she likes kids and wants the best for them. Could mean she finds the guy willing to put someone else before him. Just. Could mean a lot of things. Why?”

“I’ve just been thinking, is all.”

He knows the moment Ben follows his gaze because there’s a rumble that sounds like churning rocks, but something like a polisher and not like a landslide. His eyes fall and he gets up, leaving with an idea in his head and hoping that something new… might help.

New was good, right? Especially when the old wasn’t working.

Which is why he shows up with roses at Darcy’s door. Not in the labs, not when she’s with Jane, but when she’s by herself and for once, he feels foolish when trying things. Because when she opens the doors, she’s not all ready for adventure like she is when she flies into the Baxter building and stays until the wee hours of the morning.

Instead, she’s in pajama pants and a sweater and her hair is piled at her neck in a mess. And the surprise on her face is priceless, but not in the way he normally thinks of the word.

“I thought you might like these.”

“Johnny. These are. Beautiful. But. What?”

“I just thought you might like them.”

They get passed into her hands and Johnny watches her closely. Because this isn’t something he’d normally do. But then, most girls don’t get stuck in his head and make him paranoid they’re hurt when out of his eyesight and off doing science. Or, worse, make him feel like he’s lost them to someone he knows he can give more than.

He’s seen the way she looks at Thor. And then the way Thor looks at Jane. He doesn’t want her hurt. He’d rather… hold her? Maybe? It’s a new feeling, one he isn’t familiar with, so he really doesn’t know.

So he’s watched a ton of Chick Flick movies, tried to gauge if Darcy would like these methods of attention, and then asked Ben quietly about which flowers mean what.

Home run, as far as he’s concerned, this idea.

“I wouldn’t have imagined Johnny Storm would think of me when picking out roses.”

“Maybe you need a different idea when it comes to Johnny Storm.”

“Like he talks in third person?”

“I **have** fought Doctor Doom quite a bit,” he admits, laughing softly as his hands get shoved into his pockets. And then his shoulder meets the doorframe and he knows he looks good, but somehow, it doesn’t seem to matter how good he looks. More what he’s saying. “You feel like grabbing a burger sometime?”

“Woah, woah, woah. Was this to ask me out?”

“Uh. Yeah.”

“I. Yes. Burgers are good,” she says, head tilting and he can see the suspicion in her eyes. It makes his hands come up and he almost steps back, but he is rather comfortable leaning there. If he has to surrender, he wants to be close. So to speak. “Will I be the only one on this date?”

“Well, I’ll be there too. Kind of pointless if I’m not there.”

“I meant of the female variety.”

“Yes. You’ll be the only female there.”

“What about boys?”

“Uh. No boys. Just me?”

“Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Okay. Now. Do you want to come in and help with my double mint chocolate ice cream or are you going to take off and click your heels when you hit the corner?”

“Well, if it’s ice cream.”

“It’s totally ice cream. I do not buy frozen yogurt. It is suspicious,” Darcy says, laughing as she buries her nose into the flowers. And Johnny feels like he’s done something good, like the first time he saved someone as Torch or came up with a plan that stopped Doom. “Come on in.”

“You know, this is nice,” he offers, looking around her place that’s small. Shoebox small. But that’s not what he’s talking about (though it is great, it’s Darcy through and through from the photos of past friends on the shelving to the sweaters cast about randomly on furniture). “I thought you’d never notice.”

“What? You?” She stops in the middle of her open kitchen, slowly turning to look at him before her lips quiver and Darcy starts to laugh softly and shake her head. “Oh my **God**. Is that why you were suddenly around every corner I turned and with something new every time?!”

Johnny double blinks.

“Not every corner…”

But the roses are down and Darcy has him in a lip lock not long after, his jacket in her fingers and he’s a bit. Lost. Not an unwelcome feeling, though, as he reels the woman in, grinning against her lips.

“Who knew that I could give Johnny Storm palpitations.”

“That’s not true.”

“Oh?” Darcy asks and she does this thing with her gaze that makes him weak and something warm spread through his stomach. Uh oh. “It’s not true even a little bit?”

“… No.”

“Liar.”

“Kiss me again and we’ll see who gets palpitations first.”

“You’re on.”


	7. A Willing Audience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prompt: Meeting Mr. Douchetastic, I mean Mr. Fantastic

"Stop fangirling."

"But it’s **Mister Fantastic**.”

"It’s my brother in law. Stop fangirling."

"Those Pierce Brosnan sideburns are to die for."

"Stop it."

"He’s so smart."

"I’m smart."

"Yes, sweetheart. Yes you are."

"Hey!"

The pat to his cheek is patronizing but Johnny can tell she’s just excited. When they’d started this whole shebang, meaning when she’d finally said yes to a date, he’d realized she had a thing for superheroes. Somehow, she had every Avenger in her phone’s camera gallery. And the all their butts, because why not?

And then he’d seen her apartment, her room subtle with an expensive figurine of Thor and a life size replica of the hammer. But she was Darcy Lewis. The Thor things came with the territory.

But then he’d seen her office. The posters alone could have probably shocked him, but it was the sheer amount of toys and stuffed animals and everything else she could stuff into bookcases that had made him wonder if he wasn’t just something of a fulfillment wish. Or he had until he’d seen the little Johnny Storm right in front of her monitor with a heart shaped sticky note on it with the time of their first date.

Sentimental, that’s what she was. And she just happened to look up to superheroes too. So it wasn’t so bad.

Or wouldn’t be if the superhero she was going to meet this time wasn’t his brother in law. Mister Fantastic was a lot of things. Not all of them he was allowed to say anymore because Sue had smacked him upside the head once for doing so.

But he was smart, for some reason women found him handsome, and Johnny was being surly as his girlfriend fluttered in front of him waving her hands and excited.

"Jesus, Dee. Just calm down."

"But his research!"

"I introduced you to Sue!"

"And then you left the room and missed the part where I stuck my foot in my mouth and grovelled at her feet! Don’t leave me alone this time. Do. Not."

Her hands, petite though they may be, are wrapped like a vice around his bicep. Johnny flexes and her fingers start to pet, leaving Darcy open to a kiss as she melts against him. He’s glad he still has this effect on her, even in the heat of the moment. Heh. Heat.

But then the elevator doors open and Darcy is pulling back, eyes wide and Johnny knows she’s not **scared** , per say. But she is nervous.

This is not a monster. But this is a superhero. An honest to goodness superhero leader who kept Johnny and his family safe. Not only that, but he’d been a peer to Doctor Foster, someone that Darcy had heard spoken of with respect but had never met before now.

She’d cried when she’d met Cap. So. Johnny hopes she’s not that nervous.

"Do you think he’ll like me?"

"He’ll love you."

"He has no reason to. I mean, I’m just Jane’s lackey. I’m not an intern anymore but I’m not really doing the science."

"He respects those that work for him, Dee. Most the time. He’ll see you as someone willing to help. And that always excites him, someone willing to listen. But hey, if he does go off? You’re totally on your own."

"Thanks. Bite me."

"Maybe later."

He winds behind her, nipping at her neck, and Darcy squeaks and bats at him gently. Johnny only grabs her hands, walking behind her with his arms twined around her waist and keeping her own arms locked in his.

She struggles but soon she gives, leaning into him and he can feel her relax. Which was really what he was going for.

"Hey, Reed?"

"Hmm?"

He doesn’t even look up from his work and Johnny rolls his eyes. Darcy snorts at that, and the more feminine quality of her snort (maybe, Johnny’s never sure, he’s never heard Sue snort but maybe Reed has and that’s something adorable he’ll tease his sister about later), makes the scientist turn his head.

Reed was supposed to know they were coming. Johnny had asked (pleaded) with Sue to let him know. And from the light that comes on behind Reed’s eyes, she did that very thing.

Thank the Lord.

"Ah, you must be Miss Lewis. Sue has spoken about you from time to time."

"She has!?" Uh oh… Johnny glances at Darcy and her mouth is agape. Normally something he’d take advantage of by pressing his own lips to hers, but today he gently presses warm fingers to her spine to snap her out of it. "Oh! That’s. Hopefully only the good things. Not that there’s bad. But. Yes. Darcy. That’s me."

She shakes his hand and Reed waves her over, asking about her research and Doctor Foster. And Darcy goes from his arms, perhaps a little reluctant but Johnny likes to think she’s **always** reluctant to leave his side. He is warm, after all.

But soon, she’s off and graceful as she travels around the lab and watches Reed stretch to grab something to show her. That’s when the excitement sparks in Darcy’s eyes.

And that’s when Johnny slips outside the office, watching through the glass as Sue comes up with a glass of water for him balanced carefully on a swollen belly. There was a reason Johnny wanted this girl to meet his family, including the guy in the lab. And he grins, taking the glass and standing next to his sister.

"She’s good."

"And you were worried."

"Right. Careful there Johnny, your face might get stuck like that."

"Hmm?"

Sue just laughs and turns to waddle off, Johnny quickly turning on his heels to help her along and to sit. Of course, she shoos him, but he’s there just in case. Because what are little brother’s for if not moral support of the sarcastic type?

And if, in three hours, Darcy is shuffling into the lab with pop-tarts and coffee for both her and Reed, well. It seems it’s a very good thing that they put the explosive personality and imagination in with the man who could make that imagination a reality.

That Johnny has fallen asleep on the sofa and Sue now has cocoa thanks to Ben? Well.

That’s just family night at the Baxter Building.


	8. On the Radar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She couldn’t stay where she was. And she had no where else to go. So when someone sends her a text saying to go to the Baxter building, who is she to argue? After all, SHIELD had stranger ways of contacting her than her phone.

Her head is back against the chair she’s in, eyes closed, and she can’t believe of all the places she has to hide out, it’s **here**. This is not what she signed up for when she started working for SHIELD. Not at all.

But it’s one of the few places heavily monitored by someone not SHIELD and it’s right now one of very few safe places they have for her to go.

She wasn’t to go to Avengers tower. That would be too obvious. And she’s low level, the kind of low level that HYDRA is looking for to worm their way back. Back, that is, to knowing where everyone they don’t trust is located. So she obviously can’t go to Avengers tower. Because she knows Thor and they can only take people that probably don’t know Thor. Or Captain America. Or Stark.

Which means she’s been assigned to someplace else. And while they don’t necessarily have the best of relationships (read non-existent, really) with the Fantastic Four… they’re willing to help out, considering.

Scratch that. Mr. and Mrs. Richards were willing to help out. Mr. Grimm was willing to help out.

Mr. Storm…

"Why does she have to stay on my floor?!"

Well, he wasn’t exactly helping out as much as glaring at his sister. Wonderful. Darcy squeezes her eyes shut just a little more before she rolls herself to her feet, breathing against a stitch in her side from being grazed with a passing bullet.

She’d been at work that day. And when she’d heard over the speaker what was going on, she’d taken lunch early. Only to disappear down the street further than the falafel shop and go running for someplace safe.

Maybe she wasn’t a scientist, as Jane had pointed out once. But she was sure as Hell not stupid.

"AS pleased as I am at your hospitality," Darcy intones smartly, blue-green eyes opening up as she plants her feet. She’d been through worse. Really, she had, and that had just been SHIELD training for the position she was in. "And really, I am. If it is more proper for me to stay on a different floor then-"

"It’s Darcy, yes? We understand that your superiors are in the wind but Reed was contacted in event of this happening. Your late Director Fury took precautions. So if you would take one of the spare bedrooms on Johnny’s floor, we will be able to know if something happens immediately. One of the lower floors and a delay in action may occur."

Smart. Sue Richards is one smart cookie and Darcy knows when to bow out gracefully. It would appear, however, that Johnny Storm does not.

"Susie…"

"Johnny. Come here."

Whatever conversation happens behind closed doors is fast and furious and leaves the temperature in the room when Johnny enters again a few degrees warmer.

"Come on. I’ll show you to one of the rooms."

"Thank you."

It’s the farthest she can get from Johnny’s room, but it is, apparently, right under the living quarters of Sue and Reed. That makes things a bit different and Darcy breathes in relief when she hits the pillow, face planting and not even bothering to take off her clothes.

She’ll shower tomorrow. If she gets to.

Even with the nightmares, Darcy gets a full night’s rest. And soon, she’s in civilian clothes and trying to stay out of Johnny’s way. Which puts her right in the path of Reed Richards and she tries not to swallow her tongue.

"I can help."

It’s all she knows how to say at that moment and Richards nods, giving over a few files that Sue had wanted him to file BEFORE doing the next experiment on the Negative Zone.

A few minutes and he’s created her a profile on one of the computers and when Sue walks by, she frowns but thanks Darcy with coffee.

It’s like being with Jane all over again and somehow, that helps.

Her world has fallen out from under her feet, she should be laying low, and this simple matter of filing and taking notes and giving suggestions that are a bit simple but sometimes fit for super complex, helps.

"Why is she…"

"I’m helping. And I can hear you."

Johnny looks her up and down that first day and shrugs. At least he’s not being asked to do the paperwork.

The second day, he’s ignoring her. And the third through the twenty eighth is the same way.

Then he really starts to look her way. And Darcy may have been looking this whole time cause hello. Dude has the face of Captain America, the sarcasm of Stark, and the body of a god. And she’s met a few gods. She thinks she is a leading expert on their body types, thanks.

"It’s 3 AM."

"JESUS! Make noise when you walk, Johnny!"

"It’s 3. In the morning."

"Yes. I see this. And?"

"Why aren’t you asleep?"

"Why aren’t you?"

"I just got back from a party. But you’re like, doing paperwork."

"Yes. And Reed is still up in the next room. I just got him coffee."

"… Why?"

"Because that’s what I do."

She cuts him off by sweeping past him, file in hand because she needs to get Reed to sign it so she can scan the signature in case he ever needs to send it off again to… whoever this dude is on the paper. What the Hell was SWORD anyways?

It doesn’t stop though. Johnny comes in late, as per usual. She’s up, as per usual. And they catch the other one looking their way and then question it. ‘What do you want?’ is the common question from the superhero, while a simple and drawn out ‘yes?’ will suffice for the agent.

It’s almost a game. Almost. And then Darcy doesn’t question the look, just shoots a glare and worries her lip and keeps talking into her phone.

She’s gone the next day. Without a word.

Or more, a word to Johnny.

He finds her in the street, whispering words to a man on the corner. And he’s tracked her down, it took a week, but he has. Because where the Hell did she go!? And Darcy glares, tells him not to make a scene, before she grabs his wrist and tugs him into an alley and then a small, dark, music store.

"Reed knew."

"Well he didn’t tell me."

"Does it matter? I’m off your floor now and you don’t have to worry about me being up when you come in at, oh, 4 AM."

"Maybe I liked someone being up the same time as me."

"Reed is always up, I’m pretty sure."

"You know what I mean."

"No. I don’t think I do."

They argue, but she agrees to next time tell him if she’s leaving. And then she disappears around the corner of a case and she’s gone. Leaving Johnny swearing and taking a grumpy, looping trail of fire back to the Baxter Building.

Still, when she catches sight of him here and there, they still meet eyes. And she still raises a brow in an implied ‘yes?’ And that seems to calm him enough to not approach her as she does what she needs to do. Which is round up and connect the people who are left. The people who support the Captain dear to all of them now, for what he did. Jane is pulled in, so is Thor. Soon everyone is there and Darcy finds herself at Avengers tower, being asked where she’d like to be assigned by Captain America, himself.

"I want to go back to the Baxter building."

Liaison with the superheroes. They’re going to need all they can get, honestly. And the Captain consents, calling up Reed Richards and asking him if he wants to help. He agrees, and Darcy packs up, moving back to her room.

She’s watched now, instead of just glanced at. But if the smiles on both their faces are anything to go by, Darcy would say Johnny is just as glad to see her as she is him.

"Yes?"

"It’s late."

"Yes. Yes it is."

And the cycle begins again.


	9. Hungry Eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I wanna hold you so hear me out  
> I wanna show you what love’s all about  
> Darlin’ tonight
> 
> Drabble based off the Eric Carmen song from Dirty Dancing.

She can feel him watching. And it’s not as unnerving as it could be, honestly. If it was someone else in the room, another hero that’s about, she might swallow down her drink a little faster and find a less secluded spot by the bar. But as it was, Johnny Storm she didn’t see as a threat.

Bucky Barnes, Natasha Romanoff, even Phil Coulson. Those people she didn’t want staring at her for too long. That means they knew something. And that something was never good.

But Storm? He wasn’t so bad.

She didn’t know him all that well, honestly. A few meet and greets where she’d run through him rather than around him. But he had some squishy people to fall into, and really, she was doing them a favor.

He had skewed the readings on her monitor though those days and she always ended up down a wrong turn rather than with Jane, running around the city.

And then there was the time Jane went to the Baxter building to talk shop. Then she’d met him in the elevator, covered in perfume with a lipstick mark on his neck and smiling really hard. As soon as he realized who they were, however, the small space had dropped a few degrees.

Sweating girls out of their clothing. Well thought out plan, only they weren’t there for anything but business. And they had Selvig with them, so. That had hindered things more.

Didn’t mean Darcy couldn’t look.

He had too blue eyes, a charming but slick smile at times, and his suit fit him just right. But the problem remained that she’d dated playboys in college and oh boy, she was never doing that again if she could help it. Besides that, she was busy as all get up and Darcy hadn’t really batted an eye when he’s flirted with her.

Flirted right back, actually. And confused the Hell out of him when she decided that sarcastic quips were more the style to go with and walked because the toaster waffles were done and Jane, Sue, and this Reed fella needed substances. That he follows her with the coffee, however, makes her think that maybe he’s not so far from being in her spot in a different lab. It made sense, really, but she didn’t think about it too hard.

Now, she was smoothing down her dress at a gala. Why she’d gotten an invite, she’ll never know, but she chalks it up to Ms. Potts understanding the people coming in and out of Banner’s labs better than Stark. She’s only met the other Avengers a few times. But Thor always was someone she could run to. And had a time or two when explosions had shut down the lab for a few hours for smoke to clear.

Now though, even if she could see him over the crowd, she couldn’t very well interrupt his dancing.

"Pretty girl like you, you’d think you’d be out on the dance floor," comes a comment from her left and Darcy spins. Clint Barton, all done up with an undone bow-tie and she sighs, stepping forward to fix it. "Hey, hey. No need."

"Yes need. The night isn’t even half over, Bart."

"Sure it is, Lisa. Or is for me. Got an assignment."

"Suck, man."

"You’re tellin’ me."

Darcy instead takes the bow-tie and folds it up, putting it into Clint’s pocket and patting it once. There’s a moment where she goes to turn back to her drink when Clint slides to the bar beside her, facing her instead of the long stretch of wood she’s leaning on.

"He’s starin’ an awful lot."

"You’ve noticed too, huh?"

"You want me to take him out?"

"Nah. What could he do?"

"Dee, I know that look," Clint comments, turning just enough to grab her glass and shot gun it with a muffled noise of disgruntlement from the woman. He points with the glass, looking at her seriously. "You tell Tasha if he does somethin’, ya hear?"

"Yes Sir."

There’s a small salute from the intern before Barton wanders away to say his goodbyes and leaving her alone. The thing was, she knew she could have gone to any of the Avengers, even if Captain America makes her trip over her God given feet. But she also found she didn’t mind the hot slide of a gaze down her spine.

She looked damn good, she knew that. And if it was a bit conservative, it’s because she’s specifically worn something she could run off in. Just in case. Wedged boots, a coat dress with double breasted buttons, Darcy is happy with the look. And she’s happy she’s getting looks, at least from someone. So while some people may be keeping an eye on Mr. Storm where he’s leaning on the banister up above, she’s not.

Instead, she’s turning to the side to let her profile be seen and watching the dancers out on the floor. Because honestly, seeing the love of Stark and Potts, and the politeness of Banner with Sue, and then the awkward conversation of Son of Coul and Cap… it warms her heart.

And apparently her back. Jesus, did it get hot in there suddenly?

Oh. **Ooooh**.

"Darcy."

"What’s up, Hot Stuff? Thought you’d be burning down the dance floor."

"Ha, ha. You ever going to get tired of finding fire puns?"

"Hmm. Nope. Nada. Afraid not, fire butt. Do you?"

"Naw."

There’s a giggle and they’re talking up close, while Darcy thinks ‘uh oh.’ Because honestly, he could be with some of the other women in there but he’s been circling her. And she’s not a rabbit, she doesn’t bolt at the first sign of capture, but she is wary of it.

So she stands, flutters her hands away from the bar and offers one to Johnny.

"Dance?"

"Thought you’d never ask."

"Just be prepared for the high school sway."

“ **Noted**.”

She’s standing on his toes because even with her heels, she’s a smidgen too short. And he’s got her in a warm embrace, not just dancing but holding. And Darcy thought it was scoping her out, watching her move. But no.

That look, those eyes… they’re smoldering up close too. Ironically, she thinks as she loops her arms around Johnny’s neck.

It’s not just another night and Darcy is smart enough to put two and two together. Always has been, though she’s been trying to measure herself against one of the best in the astrophysics field. That’s not how smart worked though and she understands that this is different, tonight is off. Tonight she’s caught well by two arms and a dance.

"You seem surprised."

"Do I now?"

"Yeah."

"Well, you dance good."

"Thank you, Shang."

"Does that make you Mulan?"

"Can I stay forever?"

It’s a big question and Darcy’s lips part in a small ‘o’ at the smirk on the other’s lips. And she ruffles his hair just to get back at him for taking her words away because he doesn’t mean it. It’s a quote from the movie.

He didn’t mean it… He couldn’t have. But he doesn’t let her go when the song ends.

"You want to get out of here?"

"God yes."

"Burgers?"

"Can we go somewhere that has milkshakes too?"

"On me."

"Then onward ho, good neighbor."

And if her dress gets a little singed and she wakes up to a waffle and Jane standing over her with arms crossed, Sue trying not to smile behind her, on Johnny’s sofa… Well. At least she still has her dress on.

That has to count for something, right? And it does, it really does, when they bolt out the door and she gets a kiss goodbye.


	10. Hey, Soul Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tony and Bruce find that they like this Darcy Lewis a bit more than they thought they would. But then this guy keeps coming around, and one of them has more of a problem with it than the other, who just finds it all amusing. 
> 
> Tumblr Prompt for Tony and Bruce being concerned about how much Johnny is around Darcy.

Bruce’s first thoughts had been towards healing and protection when he moved into the tower. Not long after that, however, he found a new task. It was sure and quiet and actually more relaxing than most would think, considering. But it was to keep a young woman named Darcy Lewis away from Tony Stark.

The sarcasm could make even the Captain combust.

Tony’s first thoughts were to laden the small woman with gifts, however, and that made Bruce’s plan damn near impossible. Because Darcy loves gadgets. And the engineer needed test subjects. So Stark supplies Miss Lewis with gadgets to take with her on the “adventures” her and Doctor Foster go on and then provides postage for when she breaks them or finds a bug or anything happens to go wrong at all.

It was interesting when they received a package with a Thor attached, a note simply reading “Asgardian butt” on the outside. Upon opening it, they found Tony’s prototype for a new taser like throwing star type deal broken to smithereens, and somehow it made sense to the engineer what had happened.

Bruce still thinks he doesn’t want to know, but Tony has a deeper respect for the amount of electrocution that an Asgardian can take.

(It’s weeks until he figures out that Thor sat on the device and simply broke it, no pain or anything. Now if those two could have just said that, he wouldn’t have had to avoid Thor’s eye for a good few days there in between.)

What really makes Tony start to rethink his pen pal type friendship with this girl is when she’s actually in the tower, however. And it’s not Thor in the labs or Doctor Foster and Darcy drinking his coffee, (okay, it’s a little bit of that last one), but it’s the sheer amount of other people this girl seems to draw in with her. And maybe that’s Jane, maybe that’s Thor, but Darcy is the social butterfly that makes sure they have frozen waffles, poptarts, and a variety of caffeinated drinks at their disposal, so he’s going to blame her for them staying around.

He really needs Reed Richards out of his labs. Just saying. Of course, there is one worse than him.

“Storm. Feet off the table.”

“Wow, man. I didn’t expect you to be so intense about your coffee table.”

“It’s not a coffee table, first of all. Second, how the Hell did you even get in here?”

“Same way you do. The landing pad.”

“JARVIS, please put into place a protocol that unless someone lives here, they cannot enter through that door.”

“Of course, Sir.”

“You know, your sister and brother in law are downstairs,” Tony comments, knocking Johnny’s feet from his 3D simulator. “Not up here.”

“Yeah, but girl is up here getting them coffee.”

“Girl?”

And that’s when he hears the squish of wet boots on tiled floor. It’d been raining but everyone he knows has gotten inside before that. Which means it was someone who hasn’t.

Which means Darcy, who he’d ridden the elevator up with, and looked like a soaked rat.

“Uh. Hi?” Darcy tries when she comes by the door finally after walking by the glass of Tony’s lab. “Staring isn’t cool, bro. I know I’m soaked but, it’s not like I’m wearing white or anything. And I’m totally changing after I drop these off. Spotless lab.”

“Not the problem.”

“Uh. There’s a problem?”

“Not with you.”

“Ah.” Blue green eyes flick to the boy in the room and Tony can **see** Darcy be unimpressed. “You found the warm one.”

“Hot. The word you’re looking for is **hot**.”

“No, pretty sure I said warm, butter puddle.”

“I’m sorry, what?” For the first time in a long time, Tony is confused on what is going on in his workshop. “Someone explain.”

“Butter puddle. He said earlier that he could melt butter with his smile. Which is unfortunate, because I only like my butter melted on toast. Sadly, he seems to make it melt whenever he smiles. It’s a curse, really, I’m sure.”

At least this Storm kid is scowling now and Tony has to give his little rugrat of a pen pal props. She knows how to wrangle them. And by them, he means superheroes and wayward scientists. Mostly the latter, he’s fairly sure it’s only Thor she can convince to do much of anything big. Though the Captain will be polite if it’s a reasonable request to say, reach something off a top shelf and the demi god isn’t around. Tony’s seen it happen.

So when she turns and leaves, squishing and sliding to the other bank of labs on the other side of that floor, and Storm gets up to follow, arguing after her to Darcy’s obvious amusement, Tony has to watch carefully.

She doesn’t push him away. In fact, she puts his sister’s coffee in his hands to make it look like he helped.

Good kid. But Tony didn’t like this Storm boy.

“You look like you’ve seen a conclusion to an equation you don’t like,” came a low voice and Tony turns, finding Bruce there watching him. “And considering the company that just left, I’m going to say that equation is a worried multiplication one.”

“Don’t even suggest that.”

“What? Multiplying?”

“Thor would kill that kid if he touched her.”

“And you?”

“He can’t have her. She has my latest attempt at boomerang arrow tips for Barton in her possession.”

“And that means she can’t have a boyfriend?”

“That means she shouldn’t have a distraction. Besides, he broke into my workshop. I’m going to lock him out of the tower if he tries it again. Not good for a relationship.”

Bruce laughs softly and Tony refuses to acknowledge that he is, in fact, pouting. She’s his friend, his not quite protege, and he likes her work ethic. And while in another life he would pass Johnny Storm in a party and raise his glass, when it’s his spiritual mind child made from his sarcasm and pop culture references (and maybe that was the night he’d accidentally added a bit of lighter fluid to his coffee that he came up with that idea), he’s unamused.

She reminds him a little of Pepper, too. Which doesn’t help the situation at all.

And it only gets worse from there.

Honest, he does try to get along with other supers. As much as the Captain sighs and narrows his eyes at him, this is Tony trying. And he can always tell when Steve’s had lunch with Pepper, because he gets a little bit more leeway afterwards for about a week.

This week is that week. And a perfect week for locking Johnny Storm out of his tower in the freezing rain of Manhattan. And if he’s in his suit, floating by a drenched Storm on his landing pad and glaring behind his metal helmet. Well.

“Ah come on, man!”

“You flamed on in my kitchen last week.”

“You got a call.”

“Yes. The **Avengers** got a call. You did not.”

“Just let me in.”

“No.”

“Why not!?”

And he can tell he’s exasperated. The water vapor trails coming off of him as he starts to warm up and smoke off the excess water of the rain gives the kid away. But Tony isn’t having any of it and lands, standing his ground.

“You are trying to woo my pen pal.”

“Woah, woah, woah. This is about Darcy?”

“See. You know too much if you know about that.”

“Hey! We talk.”

“I see that.”

“Yo, man. You’re not her father. You can’t tell her what to do with her life like that.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Whatever, Stark. Tell her I say hi and your lead ass won’t let me in.”

“This is high durability-”

“I know what it is, Stark. Just tell her I said hello or I’ll have Sue do it. She likes working with Jane.”

Pepper informs him that no, he can’t legally adopt Darcy. And then promptly says she’ll think about employing her if and only if he stops this nonsense.

It’s a hard decision but he decides it’s about time he stops the nonsense, yes.

(Bruce says that’s not what Pepper meant but he’s also making jokes about subtracting clothes and praying they don’t multiply. So Tony thinks he doesn’t have a say in this particular, very serious, matter.)

“Darcy. May I speak to you a moment?”

“Sure! Uh. I didn’t do it, first off. It was totally Thor.”

“That’s not - What did you not do?”

“Oh. Nothing.”

“Right. Okay. That wasn’t what I wanted to talk about, actually. Though we will talk about whatever it is shortly,” Tony comments, brow raising enough to watch Darcy squirm on her shoes. “This Storm boy. Is he bothering you?”

“Who Johnny?”

“Yeah, that one.”

“No...” Tony is a genius. He prides himself on his ability to multitask, advance science, and generally be good at a ton of different things. But when it comes to people, sometimes even he’ll admit he falls a little short. However, even **he** can tell that Darcy is choosing her words carefully. And that makes his eyes narrow. “He’s cool. Really, he is. He’s just got a bit of an ego problem but I think I’m handling that okay.”

“But he’s not bothering you.”

“Oh no. Dealt with worse than him in college. Trust me. My big girl panties are on and rocking the pink. I’m totally prepared for him.”

Despite **not needing to know that** and having his brain shrivel and scream at the possibility of Darcy in anything but long sleeves, chunky sweaters, and jeans, Tony nods. And he thinks he’s solved the equation appropriately. Because Darcy doesn’t seem interested and she’s got his new idea for a taser in her pocket. Which means when she heads out again to the great unknown that is Doctor Foster’s work, he’ll get the readings he needs to figure out a way to bring down an Asgardian. Surely.

Better safe than sorry, after all. It’s why he made the Hulkbuster, though Igor is sitting in a corner right now, unused and unseen. That’s why he’s suspicious of Cap’s ability to overcome just about anything.

He doesn’t trust many people. And his “team” is full of people that seem like great individuals. But sometimes he can’t help but wonder what he’d have to do if they turned on him. And that’s when precautions are put into place. It helps that producing a taser that can stop anyone on a dime will help law enforcement when things really hit the fan and they come face to face with aliens in the streets.

All about safety and protection Tony figures as he moves back to his workshop and starts to tinker with Bruce again until dinner.

Or what would amount to dinner if he wasn’t caught in the hallway, jaw dropped and puffed up like a chicken with Bruce quietly laughing at his flank under his breath. Because at the other end is Johnny Storm. And he’s **in his tower** after the very strong no he’d given him the other day. But worse is that he’s gotten his lips locked with Darcy’s, hands where they shouldn’t be in the back pockets of her jeans, and seemingly unable to do anything else but stumble into the newly opened elevator door and press her against the wall of it.

Tony makes a noise before he goes to charge down there, but the doors are already shut and Bruce has his upper arm in a grip that makes him wonder just how strong the other man is outside the green rage that they see on the news.

“She likes him, Tony.”

“He. His hands. She’s just a kid.”

“She’s 25…”

“No. No she’s not. She graduated from college not too long ago, that would make her…” he has to stop, do some mental math. Not everyone graduated from college as young as he did. “22 at the most.”

“How long ago was that, Tony.”

“What?”

“How long ago did she graduate?”

“I. He’s going to take my stuff.”

“She’s not yours, though? Perhaps. Perhaps it’s time you realized that you can have a friend who has another, and they won’t leave. Look at Agent Coulson with Steve or Alison and I.”

“Wait, wait, wait. What about Cap and Dazzler?”

“Oh Lord…”

“When. What. Why does no one tell me these things!?”

Later, weeks and months after the incident that is now termed ‘The Day Tony Invaded One of Cap’s Dates,’ and after Pepper had to arrange the replacement of Valentino’s restaurant front windows, it’s determined that if Darcy is not allowed to date until she’s dead.

Of course, according to Darcy, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. And the extra volume to her hair? Totally a new hair dryer and not Johnny petting through it late at night. Totally.


End file.
